Most workout plans fail because they are either too hard or they are too short and this does not give the people doing them enough time to get used to them and see results. If you are looking for a schedule that covers these two things then the 10-week workout plan is for you. While it may start simple and easy, over the next ten weeks the workouts will increase in intensity and frequency thus giving you ample time to lose weight and even build muscle.
Why A 10-Week Workout Plan?
When it comes to exercise plans, most of them tend to range anywhere from 30 days/4-week plans to about 6 weeks workout plans. While there is nothing wrong with this, a 10-week workout plan has one extra benefit that may not be available with these exercise plans.
According to womenshealthmag.com, most people start to see initial changes caused by exercising in about 4 to 6 weeks and actual results in 8 to 12 weeks. A recent blog post by MyFitnessPal also states that while people may notice changes in their weight as early as 4 weeks into your healthy diet and exercise program, we often take up to 8 weeks to physically see the changes ourselves.
In line with the above, we can see that a 10-week workout plan is the best option for anyone looking to lose weight or even gain muscle as this plan gives you ample time to put in the work and see actual results.
Read More: 7-Minute Workout Calories Burned: How To Get The Most Out Of Exercise On A Busy Day?
How Often To Work Out For A 10-Week Plan For Weight Loss And Muscle Growth?
Making the decision to work out already puts you at the front line for weight loss and muscle growth. However, if you are looking to get actual results, timing matters too.
If you are looking to lose weight here are some points to note:
- The World Health Organization advises that healthy adults should aim to perform 75 minutes of intense exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adds to this and further advises that not only should people perform moderately intense exercise sessions 30 minutes a day on 5 days each week, but they should also aim to also include an extra 20 minutes of vigorously intense exercises on 3 days of the week.
- One study published in 2018 went on to suggest that if people are really looking to lose fat, they should aim to double the times suggested by the CDC and WHO (5).
We suggest that for the first few weeks of the 10-week workout plan for weight loss, you could follow the CDC and WHO guideline and once your body gets used to the workouts, you could increase the times to double.
If you are looking to gain muscle mass and strength and are using this 10-week workout plan to get ripped, it is difficult to say how often you should workout since many factors come into play (4).
However, medicalnewstoday advises that if you want to build strength then you should lift heavier and reduce how many reps you do. For bigger more visible muscles, increase your reps. You should also split your workouts – training different muscle groups on different days – and ensure at least a 48-hour break before you train the same muscles twice.
BetterMe app will kick you out of the mental funk, shake off your extra weight, rid you of your energy-zapping habits, and help you sculpt the body of your dreams. Intrigued? Hurry up and change your life for the better!
Beginner 10-Week Workout Plan To Lose Weight
| Day | Type of Workout | Exercises | Sets | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Cardio + Full Body | Running/Walking/Jogging | 1 | 15 minutes |
| Basic Squats | 2 | 10 | ||
| Jumping Jacks | 2 | 30 | ||
| Push-Ups | 2 | 5 | ||
| Mountain Climbers | 2 | 45 seconds | ||
| Tuesday | Upper Body (Arms & Shoulders) | Arm Extensions | 3 | 10 |
| Triceps Wall Push-Ups | 2 | 10 | ||
| Plank With Shoulder Taps | 2 | 10 taps on each side | ||
| Lay Down Push-Ups | 2 | 10 | ||
| Side Planks | 1 | 30 seconds on each side | ||
| Triceps Dips | 2 | 10 | ||
| One Arm Push-Ups | 2 | 10 | ||
| Diamond Push-Ups (can be done on the floor or on the wall) | 2 | 10 | ||
| Elbow Plank | 1 | 20 to 30 seconds | ||
| Wednesday | REST DAY | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Thursday | Lower Body (Legs & Glutes) | Wall Sit | 1 | 30 seconds |
| Sumo Squats | 2 | 10 | ||
| Side Lunges | 2 | 10 on each side | ||
| Jump Squats | 2 | 10 | ||
| Deadlifts | 2 | 10 | ||
| Calf Raises | 2 | 30 seconds per set | ||
| High Knee Toe Taps | 1 | 45 seconds | ||
| Friday | Core/Abs | Bicycle Crunches | 2 | 30 seconds |
| Dead Bug | 2 | 30 seconds | ||
| Oblique Dips | 1 | 10 on each side | ||
| High Planks | 1 | 20 to 30 seconds | ||
| Reverse Crunches | 2 | 10 | ||
| Knee To Elbow Planks | 1 | 30 seconds | ||
| Mountain Climbers | 1 | 45 seconds | ||
| Flutter Kicks | 2 | 30 seconds | ||
| Knee To Elbow Crunches | 2 | 10 per side | ||
| Table-Top Knee Taps | 1 | 12 | ||
| Side Crunches | 1 | 10 per side | ||
| Saturday | REST DAY | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Sunday | Active rest (Full body recovery) | Yoga/Walking/Cycling/Swimming | 1 | 15-45 minutes |
Points to note:
- This one week workout can be done over two or even three weeks until your body gets used to it.
- Make sure to rest for 15 to 30 seconds between each workout set.
- Once your body gets used to these workouts -i.e. You no longer feel as tired or your muscles are not sore, increase the time and/or sets of the exercise in question.
A 10-Week Workout Plan For Men And Women For Muscle Growth
| Day | Type of Workout | Exercises | Sets | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Chest and Back | Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
| Triceps Extension | 4 | 10 | ||
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 12 | ||
| Triceps Dips | 3 | 10 | ||
| Barbell Row | 3 | 10 | ||
| Chin-Ups/Pull-Ups | 3 | 10 | ||
| Tuesday | Legs | Dumbbell Squats | 3 | 8 – 10 |
| Barbell Front Squats | 4 | 6 | ||
| Deadlifts | 3 | 8 | ||
| Hamstring Curls | 3 | 12 | ||
| Seated Leg Extension | 4 | 10 | ||
| Dumbbell Lunges | 3 | 8 each side | ||
| Bulgarian Split Squats | 3 | 10 | ||
| Wednesday | REST DAY | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Thursday | Shoulders and Arms | Barbell Curls | 3 | 12 |
| Press-Ups | 3 | 10 | ||
| Close-Grip Chest Press | 3 | 12 | ||
| Pike Push-Ups | 3 | 10 | ||
| Chair Dips | 3 | 10 | ||
| Lateral Raises | 4 | 8 per arm | ||
| Pull-Ups | 3 | 6 – 8 | ||
| Dumbbell Front Raises | 3 | 10 | ||
| Friday | Core/Abs | High Planks | 1 | 30 – 45 seconds |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3 | 10 – 12 | ||
| Cable Crunches | 3 | 10 – 12 | ||
| Russian Twists | 3 | 12 – 15 | ||
| Elbow Planks | 1 | 30 – 45 seconds | ||
| Squats | 3 | 12 – 15 | ||
| V-Up | 3 | 12 | ||
| Reverse Crunches | 3 | 15 | ||
| Saturday | ACTIVE REST | Cycling/Swimming/Yoga | 1 | 1 hour |
Important points to note:
- Rest time between each workout is 30 seconds but you can increase it to 60 seconds if you feel like you need the extra time.
- Remember to not workout the same muscle back to back so you can let them rest and recover.
- Full day rest days are important. Do not skip them or you will risk overtraining.
- Increase the reps and sets as you see fit for the full 10 weeks.
Read More: 6-Week Challenge Workout: How Much Weight Can You Lose In Less Than Two Months?
Can A 10-Week No Gym Workout Plan Help You Get Ripped?
Yes, it can. An important distinction to make is that all workouts, be it through free weights, body weight or via gym equipment can help you lose weight and gain muscle. However, if you want to get super ripped, using weights will give you better results.
But can free weights get you as ripped as when using gym machines? Yes they can and several studies have proven this.
- In 2009, a study by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research revealed that free weight squats led to a 43 percent more muscle activation than when using the Smith machine to do the same exercise (1).
- A year later, the same journal did another study comparing the muscle activation between a Smith machine bench press and a free weights bench press. The results showed that the free weights bench press led to more muscle activation and thus would be a better workout for upper body muscle development (2).
- The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research recently published a new study showing that free weights work exceptionally well in developing muscle mass and muscle strength. In the study, 46 subjects were required to train using free weights or machines for 8 weeks -with each muscle group trained 2-3/weeks, 3-4 sets of 4-10 repetitions.
After this researchers would come back to measure their muscle thickness, strength, free testosterone, and free cortisol concentrations.
At the end of the 8 weeks researchers found out that while the men in the free weights group experienced increased testosterone levels as compared to the machine groups, when it came to factors such as muscle strength and increased muscle mass, there was no difference in both parties (3).
This goes to show that getting ripped on this 10-week no-gym home workout plan with free weights is a very real and achievable goal.
Lean and toned up body isn’t just a far-fetched fantasy. Check out the BetterMe app and watch it propel your weight loss journey into high gear!
What Are The Best Home Workouts To Lose Weight?
The best home workouts are a combination of cardio and strength training. This combination works best as it not only helps you lose fat, but also builds muscle which helps increase your metabolism.
The Bottom Line
As previously stated, this 10-week workout plan is a good starting point for anyone willing and dedicated enough to change their body and their lifestyle. Remember that workouts alone do not lead to weight loss or muscle gain – you must make sure to eat enough and eat healthily too.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- A comparison of free weight squat to Smith machine squat using electromyography (2009, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- A comparison of muscle activation between a Smith machine and free weight bench press (2010, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Effects of Training With Free Weights Versus Machines on Muscle Mass, Strength, Free Testosterone, and Free Cortisol Levels (2020, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Increasing Lean Mass and Strength: A Comparison of High Frequency Strength Training to Lower Frequency Strength Training (2016, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Is regular exercise an effective strategy for weight loss maintenance? (2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
